It's a sad fact that, from time to time, Helium articles get deleted. It may be for any one of numerous reasons, though it isn't the end of the world. Just as in paper publishing, people's work gets rejected and it may be easier to accept when you learn the valuable lesson rejection teaches writers. It helps writers to develop. It helps them to understand their shortcomings and to address them. It may even tell them that their article has been posted to a topic which isn't reflected by the article they wrote. So what do you do when your article gets deleted?

*Look at why.
*Get help to improve your work.
*Post it to the correct topic.
*Check your article meets site guidelines.
*Learn from the experience.

Look at why.

Most times that articles are deleted, there is a good reason. Articles don't get deleted accidentally very often, and most writers get an email explaining why. If the email is not clear, look at the article itself which is included within the email you receive which tells you your article has been deleted.

Did you check it for grammatical errors? Is it on topic? Does it contain swearwords? Maybe it's all about you rather than a topic. There will always be a logical reason and if you cannot find what that reason is, you can write to content@helium.com who will be able to tell you.

Get help to improve your work.

In the case of a deletion because of quality, does this mean your work has no worth? Indeed it does not. Helium prides itself on being a website where people's opinions matter. All they ask is that you write within site guidelines. They have a system of mentoring which may help you to improve your article. Send the article to mentor@helium.com and let them help you get on the right track.

Off topic.

If your article does not address a topic to which it is posted, it will have been deleted because of this. Often writers stray from the given topic and, in doing so, fail to produce an article of worth to that title. That doesn't mean their article has no worth. What that means is that it wasn't posted in the right place. The first move to make in this instance is to use the title finder which you can find located in the left hand panel of your My Helium area. Look for titles using key words and see if your article could fit perfectly into an existing title. If it does not fit perfectly, think up a new title and suggest it, using the Suggest a title tool on the same panel. Titles should be clearly stated and not vague. When the title is approved, a link to your new title will be sent to you, so that you can re-post your work.

Check that your article meets site guidelines.

The guidelines are pretty easy, and although you may not have read them, or have the patience to read them, they incorporate common sense rules, and can be found here:

Helium writing standards.

Learn from the experience.

One of the great things about writing to Helium is the learning opportunity that it affords the writers. If an article is deleted, this gives you a chance to improve it, and to realize the importance of keeping within article guidelines. If the article is too short, simply improve the article and add to it. If an article wanders off topic, try to write it again and the new impetus gives you the incentive not to make the same mistake again. It's easy to wander off topic unless you are focused. The opportunity afforded to you by a deletion is a second chance to try again, instead of having your article festering at the bottom of the rating pile, thus increasing your writing score.

Helium provides all kinds of help for its members. There are stewards for every channel. There is the mentoring system, and there is indeed back-up from staff. Helium also offers member feedback on articles by fellow members who care sufficiently to want to help others improve within the community forum area of the site. When you receive that email which says that an article has been deleted, read it.

Don't jump to conclusions and get angry, because what this offers you is an opportunity to succeed, and a chance to improve your work. Your article sits safely in your My Article area of the site, waiting for that moment when you feel you can adjust the article to succeed. Take the opportunity and grow as a writer, knowing your new addition to the site will be welcomed if it adheres to the site guidelines and will certainly end up more highly rated than the article you had deleted.

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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